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Stability and Durability of Wood vs Micarta
- Thread starter Evany
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
- Messages
- 852
Try not to think of it in terms of 'stability'. An argument could be made about "durability" as wood is/was organic and, like all naturally occurring materials, degrades over time. With very nice hard woods, that degradation actually looks amazing. New tones and colors appear (it won't be "my knife handles rotted"). There's a CHANCE it might split or crack....down the road. Yes there are things you can do to wood handles...linseed oil rub once in a while is never a bad idea.
Micarta is not natural and therefore has a much longer "shelf life".
Also, I'm a bit more sad when my wood handled pieces get's scuffed over my micarta ones. Micarta was built to be abused.
That being said, NOTHING feels as good in my hand as a good wood scale. I've got a curly maple bushfinger that is heirloom quality. I've never looked at a micarta knife and felt that. There's warmth in wood that you just can't feel in micarta. It's gives the knife a soul.
I think it was Mears who said "Being in nature is like being spellbound; if i'm paddling a plastic canoe, or sleeping in a nylon tent, or holding a rubber knife...that spell is broken"
Micarta is not natural and therefore has a much longer "shelf life".
Also, I'm a bit more sad when my wood handled pieces get's scuffed over my micarta ones. Micarta was built to be abused.
That being said, NOTHING feels as good in my hand as a good wood scale. I've got a curly maple bushfinger that is heirloom quality. I've never looked at a micarta knife and felt that. There's warmth in wood that you just can't feel in micarta. It's gives the knife a soul.
I think it was Mears who said "Being in nature is like being spellbound; if i'm paddling a plastic canoe, or sleeping in a nylon tent, or holding a rubber knife...that spell is broken"
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 19,687
Micarta is more stable, tougher, and longer lasting than wood. Period. Not even close. In a thousand years an anthropologist will unearth my knife. The steel is dust, our civ is a memory in books, but the micarta is just a bit darker than it was when new.
Wood moves, checks, cracks and warps. Period. I guarantee this will happen to every piece of wood on this planet stabilized or unstabilized. In my guarantee, I specifically address this issue.
"Natural handle materials such as stag, bone, wood, pearl and ivory may shrink, crack, and/or discolor with change in temperature, or humidity or age. As this is normal, expected, and can normally be avoided with maintenance these issues would not be covered under this warranty."
I have only made myself one knife with stabilized wood handles. Stabilized wood will crack, warp, chip and check just like any other wood. It is more stable vs water, but IMO, less stable vs heat. I've heard lots of makers go on and on about how it makes the wood better. IMO, it turns the wood into a plastic that is not as good as phenolic plastics at being stable. There are plusses and minusses, but it is no cure all for wood behavior.
Now, I love wood handles. It is a suitable handle material. It has been proven for thousands of years. It is beautiful, and warm, and light, and I have made myself a LOT of wooden handled knives. I happen to love the woods that are naturally stable like Cocobolo, Rosewoods, Ironwood, and Osage Orange the best. They require care, and understanding of what they are. If you inundate them in water and don't dry them, put them in the dishwasher, leave them on the dash of your car, or travel to and from Las Vegas from GA, then you're going to see the effects of this natural material reacting to its environment. Then again, if you respect them and maintain them they can last for a long long time.
Stabilized wood is a suitable handle material also, and allows us to use woods that just aren't usable when unstable. Burls and Black Palm for example. Mostly though, I use them because of customer demand and not personal preference. There was a table at Blade Show selling stabilized Rosewoods, Cocobolo, Bocote, etc. Hey, if you just want the previously mentioned heavier and slippery when wet, go for it, but it doesn't make the wood any better IMO.
I use only quality materials on my knives. Maintenance is required for longevity.
Wood moves, checks, cracks and warps. Period. I guarantee this will happen to every piece of wood on this planet stabilized or unstabilized. In my guarantee, I specifically address this issue.
"Natural handle materials such as stag, bone, wood, pearl and ivory may shrink, crack, and/or discolor with change in temperature, or humidity or age. As this is normal, expected, and can normally be avoided with maintenance these issues would not be covered under this warranty."
I have only made myself one knife with stabilized wood handles. Stabilized wood will crack, warp, chip and check just like any other wood. It is more stable vs water, but IMO, less stable vs heat. I've heard lots of makers go on and on about how it makes the wood better. IMO, it turns the wood into a plastic that is not as good as phenolic plastics at being stable. There are plusses and minusses, but it is no cure all for wood behavior.
Now, I love wood handles. It is a suitable handle material. It has been proven for thousands of years. It is beautiful, and warm, and light, and I have made myself a LOT of wooden handled knives. I happen to love the woods that are naturally stable like Cocobolo, Rosewoods, Ironwood, and Osage Orange the best. They require care, and understanding of what they are. If you inundate them in water and don't dry them, put them in the dishwasher, leave them on the dash of your car, or travel to and from Las Vegas from GA, then you're going to see the effects of this natural material reacting to its environment. Then again, if you respect them and maintain them they can last for a long long time.
Stabilized wood is a suitable handle material also, and allows us to use woods that just aren't usable when unstable. Burls and Black Palm for example. Mostly though, I use them because of customer demand and not personal preference. There was a table at Blade Show selling stabilized Rosewoods, Cocobolo, Bocote, etc. Hey, if you just want the previously mentioned heavier and slippery when wet, go for it, but it doesn't make the wood any better IMO.
I use only quality materials on my knives. Maintenance is required for longevity.
I personally LOVE Andy's wood scales, though I have blades with both types. A knife is a tool and if the handle wear is more of a factor than the blade wear, well, then I'd say you hold your knife a lot but don't really use it. 
I don' t know that I will outlive ANY of my scales, wood or micarta. For me it is all about the feel (and yes, the look) when using the tool.
I don' t know that I will outlive ANY of my scales, wood or micarta. For me it is all about the feel (and yes, the look) when using the tool.